Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-07-16
TO LEARN TO SWIM.
hsAD SHis asciPs AND rHss eivD
ira TRIAL.
rhs Aaustic Editor aivss Minute Directions -
TO the Mode Of Learning 20 Propst Ons-
seit In the water the rirss Thing
to Ne Learned.

These are the days when the daring small
boy imperils his life and compromises the
integrity of city water by the practice Of
scquatic gymnastics In the historic, cool and
crooked Conestogs. 1t is profoundly 70
gretted that the noble art OF winning can
not be more heartily encouraged, but under
the young idea how to swim seems to be
counterbAlAnced by the obvious dangers and
objections to the primitive methods nov In
PrscticA But the man or boy bent on swlm.
ming will swim whether In water contamin.
ated by city sewerage or In water to be
pumped into the city main, and % making
the best Of the situation the following aug.
geetions are offered for the guidance Of those
who are learning for after all they are learn.
ing an art OF value Tor self preservation, and
are worthy OF some sympathy In spite oi
their defiance Of circumstances
Ii has been said that tho best way is to get
somebody to throw you into deep water, aud
and that, 1t then being \ case OF swim or
drown, the subject usually learns: but this
brutal method is worthy Of nothing but Con-
dsmnation because there arc other plans
more human and scientific " hich do not pre-
sent the alternative OF drowning.
FIRST TO NE LEARNED.
The first thing to he learned is the frog lik Q
motion Of the legs which can best he acquired
BY clinging to something In such . manner
that the lower part Of the body 10 entirely
submerged. Draw the heels up with the
soles Of the fee towards each other. strike
out vigorously right and left, aud draw the
heels together again. These are the elements;
but watch swimmer for the proper time OF
the motion, the angle Of the knees, and the
Nl ska n,.L, S,s.
rail, and cast yourself adrift upon it, keeping
It we'll submerged by resting your chest
upon it This throws you . little out OF ths
proper angle, on, will help to give you coua
dence, and enable you to learn the aru
motion. Palms together at the chest lik,
the conventional praying figures OF churct
frescoes and monuments elbows In, pual
the hands front to the full length OF the arms
| separate the hands, and without bending
| the elbow, sweep them to right and lett II
| back, turning the hands In the hrst part @
the stroke Then draw the hands In again 4
the first position. The proper time of tn
combined motions is gained by counting one
slowly for the stroke OF he hands, two, thrs
rapidly for their motion to and from tn
breast and in exact time with these laa
motions, the legs should be drawn up an,
kicked out, the heels coming together agail
naturally, while the arm stroke IL again tai
ing place.
| CONFIDENCE NEEDED.
Con hdence in swimming Is like charity 1
religions man may have the motions per
fectly, and navigate . rail with surprisin
skill, but without conf ience 1t 10 a. nothing
| A nervous person In this condition had be
ter have some friends handy to pull him o,
aud then fall into deep water accidsutall
Confidence also covers Q multitude OF sin
for man having 1t may think he can swi
when he can only paddle.